Florida Judge Throws Out Trump’s Defamation Claim Against Murdoch and WSJ

A Florida federal judge dismissed President Donald Trump’s amended defamation lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal with prejudice. The case alleged the newspaper defamed Trump by reporting he sent a "bawdy" 50th birthday letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Darrin Gayles had already tossed the original $10 billion suit about six months earlier and again found Trump failed to show the defendants acted with actual malice. The judge noted Trump has consistently denied sending any letter to Epstein in 2003 and said the amended complaint merely tries to manufacture flaws in the investigation. By dismissing the suit with prejudice, Trump cannot file another amended version in the Miami federal court, though he may seek review on appeal. A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the president will keep pressing his "powerhouse" lawsuit against the newspaper and other defendants, vowing to hold those who spread fake news accountable. The amended filing added a claim that Murdoch told Trump, "I will handle it," during a phone call about the story, a detail first reported by Newsweek.

Context

The "actual malice" standard applies when a public figure sues for defamation, requiring proof that the publisher knowingly lied or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Without such proof, courts routinely dismiss the case, limiting further lawsuits on the same claim.